No, I don't cook in tin-cans. I live and cook in a 35" travel trailer I call a Tin Can, with fond affection of course.I cook mostly from scratch using organic/natural/sustainable produce, grains, and beans, meats, and dairy. I hope I can give you some tips on how I shop frugally making a dollar stretch.

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Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Frugal Grocery Shopping

I can't believe how much folks spend on groceries. Most of these same folks
complain about the price of their utilities, gasoline, or clothes in the store.
There are a few things you can do to save money at a grocery store.

As for me, I make a weekly menu. If you are really smart you already have a
list of recipes you have used over time. Here are a few secrets from a frugal
shopper.

1. ALWAYS make a weekly menu for dinner.

2. I also make a list of what we will have for lunch since both of us take
our lunch to work.

3. Breakfast is easy as long as you have milk, eggs, butter (yes butter not
lard), bread, and some sort of meat product. I buy Canadian bacon.

4. I look at the weekly ads for my local store and design my menu. If tomato
sauce is on sale or hamburger design 3 meals that week around those
ingredients.

5. Buy items on sale in bulk. If hamburger is on sale buy extra for the
freezer. You don’t have to go to Sam's or Costco just get it there in smaller
amounts. Wrap in foil and freezer bags.

6. Make your meals. It’s cheaper to make spaghetti sauce rather than grab a
jar of it. Plus look at the ingredients. See my posts for various recipes WITH
OUT PREP PACKED INGREDIENTS.

7. If you make spaghetti for dinner make enough for two meals and freeze the
rest.

8. I have been making whole food meals for years so I do stock up on some items:
flour, cane sugar, butter, baking soda, baking powder, spices, vanilla, and
such.

9. Desserts for us are usually apples or some fruit. Occasionally I will
make tapioca, jello, or apple crisp.

10. And the most important is KEEP TO YOUR L IST. You can find some things
cheaper at the Dollar Store or Dollar General. Watch out not all items at the
Dollar General are a good price. Make sure you read the ounces. ALWAYS compare
items by weight or number of. Keep your cell phone or a calculator with you. (Divide
the price by the ounces to find out $ per ounce) Some stores tell you the price
per ounce.

After the grocery store, make sure you do your post grocery
cleaning and storing. See my post on